Boys basketball preview: Marino takes trip down memory lane

Ryan Marino got his first taste of coaching a boys varsity basketball team at Monroe High.

He took over the Trojans in 2007 at the age of 25.

After going 15-48 at Monroe, Marino left to take over Airport’s boys team in 2010. The move gave him the opportunity to coach in the school district where he teaches.

Marino will get a chance to revisit his past when Monroe visits Airport to play the Jets Thursday night.

The game was born on the golf course.

Monroe coach Frank Scheuer coached the eighth grade team at Monroe when Marino was the Trojans’ varsity coach. The two remain friends and often play golf together during the summer.

During one of their rounds of golf, the two basketball coaches decided that their teams should meet.

Scheuer once lived in Carleton, so he has followed Airport’s athletic teams for a long time. When he was an assistant coach at Siena Heights, he coached former Jet star Luke Baker.

The game comes at a time when both teams need a win.

Airport is off to a 1-3 start and Monroe is winless through its first four games.

Airport has been struggling to learn how to pull out the close games.

Marino has not seen Monroe play in person but has watched tapes of two of the Trojans games.

Scheuer says he is very impressed with Airport standouts Scott McCormick and Brandon Potcova.

The Airport-Monroe game highlights a light slate of games in the Monroe County Region this week.

There will be an interesting matchup Friday as Erie Mason travels to Summerfield. Also on that night it will be Tecumseh at Ida, Milan at Adrian and Faith Davison at State Line Christian. Bedford makes a short trip to Whitmer Saturday.

On the girls side, Jefferson visits Erie Mason and Ida hosts East Jackson Thursday and Bedford pays a call on Whitmer Saturday.

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